Watch Howzat! Kerry Packer’s War Episode 1: Telegraph Now Showing

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In 1976, Australian businessman Kerry Packer, infuriated that his network had been denied the TV broadcasting rights by the Australian Cricket Board and fearing the game was dying, declared war on the cricket establishment.

Polishing an idea by John Cornell, Packer clean bowled the cricket establishment by secretly signing up 50 of the world’s greatest cricketers and creating World Series Cricket. He knew the players, who had been underpaid for years, were on the point of rebellion against the cricket authorities. His rebel games clashed head-on with official test matches, and the war was on.